I Promise
by amessoffand0ms
Summary: Things look bleak for Zoe and Max- will a talk help them work things out? Based on a dream that I had the other day revolving around Zoe and her wedding ring.


I Promise

Zoe Hanna- or Walker? She didn't know, walked down a hospital corridor. She wasn't on shift, but the hospital was the only place where she felt at peace. She could barely bring herself to go home, too many memories of Max.

Today, her memories had chased her, relentlessly. She couldn't clear her head.

She was twisting her wedding ring around on her finger thoughtfully. She didn't know what to make of her conversation with Max a few weeks ago- okay, they were friends, and exchanged the odd smile now and again, but that was it.

She had been to the pub once or twice when he was there, she chose to sit on her own, though. Zoe had often seen him flirting with someone else, she knew him well enough to know that wouldn't go anywhere, though.

She wanted everything to go back to how it used to be- she missed him so much. The way he woke her up with a kiss on the forehead everyday, the way he held her hand whenever she was nervous or afraid, his cheeky grin... Him.

He wedding ring fell off her finger and bounced onto the floor, interrupting her thoughts. She was shocked back to the present by the sound of someone coming up behind her.

"Careful, you don't want to lose this! Oh... Zoe?" It was Max.

"Um... Thanks." Said Zoe, and hurried away.

"Don't go." Max caught her arm. He hadn't recognised his wife, she was dressed plainly, and she wasn't wearing much makeup. She was thinner than usual, and she looked slightly gaunt. But, to him, she was still the most stunning woman that he'd ever seen.

"Max... I don't want to bother you." She said quietly.

"Zoe... I care for you, you'd never burden or annoy you, I promise." He said gently. He desperately wanted to wrap her up in his arms and kiss her, but she looked like she was going to bolt off at any moment.

"It's my own fault. If I hadn't have done what I did on my hen night, we wouldn't be having this conversation." The consultant replied, looking up at him. "I'm so sorry. I made a terrible mistake." She whispered, so softly that he had to lean close to her to hear her words.

The porter squeezed her hand. "Zoe..." he whispered.

Zoe began to cry.

Max pulled her close to him. She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing.

"I forgive you." He whispered into her ear.

"Why would you?" she sniffled.

"Because I now realise that you made a mistake. On our wedding day, I said to you 'we can be happy, I promise you we can.' I want to keep that promise."

"I don't know what to say..." Zoe's eyes searched his, and what she found was love.

"I love you. Always have done, always will." He said.

"I love you too." She responded.

Zoe straightened up, and looked at his lips, realising that Max's eyes were focused on hers.

He kissed her first, cupping her head in his hands, his kiss full of all the love that he had for her, and all the passion that had been pent up.

"That was quite something." Zoe smiled at him when they had to stop.

"It was." Max agreed.

"If you'd like to, can we go home?" Zoe asked.

"I would love to."

"So..." said Zoe when they got home.

"So?" Max smiled.

Zoe sat on the sofa.

Her husband sat down next to her, and pulled her into his arms. "What is it?"

"You know what you said a few weeks ago about us wanting a, a..."

"Divorce?" he asked her.

She nodded. "And about us being friends."

He held her hands. "I want to be your husband, Zoe. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up with you next to me every day."

"I want that too." Her forehead rested against his. She kissed him on the lips again, the passion clear. "You do know that we haven't consummated our marriage yet?" she asked, a cheeky grin on her face. It was a look that Max knew well, and he'd missed it.

"I knew there was something..."

"Let's get to it then." Zoe giggled, for the first time in weeks.

A while later...

The couple lay in bed together, wrapped in each other's arms.

"Thank you for giving me another chance." Said Zoe, gazing at her husband.

"Like I said, we can be happy. I love you, Zoe."

"I love you too. So much."

 **The End!**

 **I hope that you've all enjoyed! :-) x**


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